Yoshimitsu, the Onimusha, and the Genma Lord
by Mark Ol' Henry
Summary: OnimushaSoul Calibur. Yoshimitsu's clan was massacred by Nobunaga. His quest for vengeance against the warlord will lead to Soul Edge's reign of destruction in Japan, and a young prince of the fabled Oni Clan must put an end to the path of destruction.
1. Prologue

Author's Notes: This is a crossover between Onimusha Tactics and Soul Calibur. I decided to do this because I figured the two stories could really go together. The events in Onimusha take place about ten years before the events in Soul Calibur, and it takes place in the real world, feudal era Japan. It will describe the events following the massacre of Yoshimitsu's clan and his journey for revenge against infamous warlord, Nobunaga Oda, and my version of Yoshimitsu's first encounter with Soul Edge. This story will take place around 1582.

!Onimusha Tactics, Soul Calibur, and all other related items are properties of their rightful owners!

**Prologue**

…_It was that day I realized that we were all fools…_

Sounds of firing cannons and the smell of burning wood only added to the chaos that ensued as the clan of ninjas fought against the Lord's army.

The Manji clan. A clan of very skilled and talented ninjas. They represented themselves as demons by wearing ceramic masks designed to look like demons of folklore.

Nobunaga's army. The loyal followers of Lord Nobunaga Oda. They followed him for they believed that he would finally unite Japan as one. On his orders, they fearlessly attacked the legendary Manji clan, hoping to destroy those that Nobunaga said would only try to keep the country separated.

…_We were so near victory, until they brought in the gatlings. Little did the world know of this invention. History says it was invented in 1861, long, long, long after the day my clan was massacred. Not true. I have long outlived my natural life. And when the people praised the "official" invention of the gun, I nearly spit. Those who experienced the killing power of the gatling were now all dead, and they had kept quiet during their lives. The everyday citizens had no clue that the guns nearly threw their entire country into a state of Hell centuries ago…_

One by one, the Manji ninjas were mowed down by the guns. Not familiar with the new weapons, they foolishly tried to block the bullets with their swords, only to have sparks fly as a single bullet ricocheted off the blade while the rest of the bullets entered their bodies.

Rivers of blood flowed across the ground at the end of the battle. Though Nobunaga's army was basically decimated, those few who wielded the gatlings and the very few who took shelter beside them lived. The Manji clan, however, was no more.

"Lord Nobunaga told us to defeat them at any cost…Isn't this just a bit too much? Kenzo, old friend, do you regret this as I do?" A soldier stared disbelieved at the carnage that lay before him.

His friend shook his head, "No, this was for our country. These ninjas were rebels. They would have interfered against anyone who hopes to change the way this country works, if only to get on their nerves. Nobunaga did not want to deal with them. We did our Lord a great service."

"But how can you think that? Look at all of our men we just lost!" He motioned to the scores of lifeless bodies that littered the once sacred ground of Mt. Fuji. "Did Lord Nobunaga tell you all that, or were these ninjas' reputations that widely spread, because I have heard nothing of them!"

"Enough!" Kenzo unsheathed his katana and in one swift motion sliced the neck of his companion. The soldier fell to the ground. Blood splashed out of the wound and then it just flowed onto the ground like a tiny river.

Kenzo looked at the few soldiers that remained with fierce and dedicated eyes, "Anyone who questions our Lord's judgment will pay! Just like this fool! You that survived will all be honored by thousands upon thousands for your deeds today! Lord Nobunaga will create a new Japan!"

The other soldiers didn't seem to enthusiastic. Most only stared unmoving at nothing in particular, their eyes filled with horror.

"Time to get up! Our Lord has more use for us! We do not have time to mourn or pray! We must do anything for our Lord! We must pay any price!"

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Enjoying a large feast inside the walls of his castle, Nobunaga drank a cup of sake unperturbed. "Kenzo…Hm hm…Such dedication…It is true, you all will pay any price…"

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The soldiers snapped out of the shock induced daze when they heard hisses coming from the edge of a nearby forest. They stood up to see dozens of spearheads approaching them. Kenzo peered out and found their flag. He smiled, very relieved.

"Ha! Do you see? Our Lord has sent us aid!"

A soldier miserably mumbled, "Too late, that is."

Kenzo turned, "What did you say!" He approached this man with his blade, ready to kill another of his own men. But the soldier only sat hunched over, not afraid or intimidated.

"Go ahead and kill me, Kenzo. I'm tired. I want rest."

"Then you shall get it!" Kenzo raised his sword high and readied to send it down. Before he did, however, another soldier called out.

"Look! In the forest! Those are not the Lord's men!"

From out of the forest came a band of armored lizard-like monsters. They had long, pointed snouts and small, yet plentiful sharp teeth. They did carry spears and one did carry Nobunaga's flag. The leader of the group began to speak in a raspy, sort of high pitched voice, "There they are!" It hissed and counted their numbers, "Hmm…I see, only seventeen left. And there are twelve of us…Lord Nobunaga didn't take time to count, I see. Oh well. Let us eat, yes? Whoever gets the extra five can have them!" His hissing voice paralyzed the soldiers with fear.

The monsters flicked their snake-tongues and quickly lunged in for the kill.

…_I watched as the soldiers were slaughtered and eaten. It's ironic how Kenzo, the one who seemed the most loyal to Nobunaga, was eaten first by these beasts that looked to have given there loyalty the Lord himself. As I lay near death, I was happy that these lizards only ate fresh meat. How unfortunate to be eaten alive…like them…_

"Ahh…I love fresh meat!"

"Ha ha! Yes!"

"Lord Nobunaga really must really find stronger men. Then we'd have more to eat."

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Nobunaga finished off his last dumpling and poured himself another glass of sake. After he finished pouring, he held the small glass up in front of him, "For your years of loyal service, Kenzo." He smirked and drank down the sake.

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_…I knew our entire country had been played for fools…_


	2. Dying Spirit

**Chapter 1**

Yoshimitsu stared down into the village, glaring at the soldiers stationed to observe the villager's activities. They carried the flag of Nobunaga.

_Dogs! What audacity! As if this village is his! Nobunaga…this will be another village that I will take away from your grip! _

Twilight was setting in slowly, inviting the mosquitoes to come out and feed. One hovered above the ninja's right arm, looking for a meal. Yoshimitsu swatted the insect away and adjusted his mask.

He vanished into the wind, only to reappear inside the village, face to face with a soldier.

"Wha…!"

Yoshimitsu grabbed onto the soldier's neck. Strangling him, Yoshimitsu observed carefully the man's reaction.

"Not a Genma. Fortunately for you."

He dropped him to the ground, leaving the stunned soldier to cough and gag on the dirty ground.

While still struggling to catch his breath the soldier looked into Yoshimitsu's eyes.

"You are the Demon that has been running rampant among our land, aren't you? Pillaging and slaying our men? You can not stand against our lord, Nobunaga!"

"Demon? Maybe so. Pillaging? Yes, but I pillage from the lords who oppress the people. Slaying your fellow soldiers? Well, that is only half right. To say that I have slain Nobunaga's soldiers is true. But to say that I slayed your fellow _men_? That I did not do."

"You won't make it out of this village alive!" The soldier blew his whistle, summoning the others to rush to his assistance, "Prepare to fight!"

On cue, a band of soldiers appeared holding rifles in their hands, aimed directly at Yoshimitsu, fingers on their triggers.

"Fire!"

Bullets flew, but as easily as he swatted away the mosquito, Yoshimitsu swatted away the bullets with his sword.

Before the soldiers could shoot another round, Yoshimitsu cut the barrels of their rifles. His lightning quick speed left the soldiers in awe.

Then swords were drawn. Yoshimitsu calmly stood in the center of their circle. His silence chilled the soldiers.

"Come and attack me if you wish. I give you permission…"

"Permission? You are in no position! Kill him!"

The band of soldiers raised their blades and stepped in quickly, but a loud, cold, and proud voice commanded them to stop.

"Stop right there!"

Yoshimitsu watched as a tall man with a thick mustache and oddly purplish-black tinted skin walked through the line of soldiers. His yellow eyes were like that of a hawk's, and when he spoke his fangs bared like a snake's.

"That's enough, men. You are dismissed." The man waved his arm and the soldiers promptly responded, leaving only Yoshimitsu to face the otherworldly man.

"I take it you are the Demon that has been a thorn in my side?"

Yoshimitsu turned to face the man face to face, "Yes. And you are Nobunaga Oda, the man who I have been such a pest to."

"Yes." The evil lord stroked his mustache.

"This village is not yours, Nobunaga. Leave now. I will kill you elsewhere after you leave."

"You are too confident for your own good, Manji ninja. That is why I killed your clan. You were too much of a risk for me to leave alive. But I see that one freak has survived."

"Damn fool. It is because of you that I have become what I am. I have seen the border between life and death, Nobunaga! I have stepped foot on that border. It has changed me. And it is all because of you, you son of evil!"

"My fault? Good. I hope you remember it. Tell me, what did you see? Did you see the Gates of Hell? Did you see Yama? Did you even see Hell itself!"

"Silence!"

"I envy you, Manji freak. I wish to set foot in Hell myself someday…"

"…Look at how far you've fallen, to have become a demon yourself…" Yoshimitsu stared intently into the lord's eyes, "…No, not a demon. You have become something more vile. You have turned yourself into a Genma!"

"Yes! Yes, I have! Do you know why? Because Genma have all the strengths of demons, but none of their weaknesses. Scrolls, sutras, incantations, any type of spell have no effect on Genma."

"You are a monster! Let's battle!"

"Gladly!" Nobunaga unsheathed his dark katana and licked his lips, "I will see you in Hell soon! Soon after these lands are stained red!"

----------

Training in a small forest outside of his hometown, Iga, was a young samurai with long, thick, unkempt black hair. His name is Onimaru, a budding samurai.

He fell down on his behind and brushed his hair out of his face and then wiped the streams of sweat flowing down his forehead. He poured the contents of his water bottle onto his face, drinking and washing at the same time. It was true, he wasn't the cleanest samurai, but he knew that to be a samurai was to fight and bleed, and as a result, get dirty, so he chose that now was the time to get used to it.

He smelled himself and immediately pulled his face away from his armpits, fanning away the stench away with his hand, "Whoo! I stink! I think it's time I wash up."

He got up and ran towards the river. He immediately stripped himself of his clothes and jumped in. He knew what everyone would've said if they saw him bathing in the river: "Onimaru! Don't bathe in the river! We fish from that river you know!" And Onimaru, as respectful and considerate as he was, would promptly get out, but now, since no one was stopping him, he began scrubbing out his pits.

----------

"Heeyah!" Yoshimitsu bounded through the air, slicing skillfully at Nobunaga, who also skillfully countered the blade. Nobunaga's skill with the katana matched the skill of Yoshimitsu and his katana, along with Yoshimitsu's experience with the Manji Ninjitsu fighting style.

Yoshimitsu's high pitched battle cries and Nobunaga's maniacal laughter reached out to the very edges of the village. The impact of their blades made sparks, lighting up their faces for a short second before they died out and the night shadows cloaked them again.

Yoshimitsu leapt back and halted his attack to wait for a better opening, "I see. If you were a regular man, you would have fallen to Yoshimitsu by now."

"Perhaps." Nobunaga grinned and assumed a new stance, standing sideways, holding his sword horizontally in front of his face, ready to strike and pierce with a quick, snake-like thrust. "Taste the Genma Blade!" He ran, still in stance, and struck with a quick stab, piercing Yoshimitsu's heart and leaving a hole in his chest.

But strangely, no blood squirted out of the wound.

Then, from behind, Yoshimitsu reappeared with a modified cartwheel, almost backflip, kick. He hit Nobunaga on the top of his skull, stunning the lord for a moment. Yoshimitsu followed with a lunging, spinning headbutt, knocking Nobunaga back off his feet. He landed on his back and looked on as he saw Yoshimitsu take flight.

Yoshimitsu was spinning his blade above his head, magically lifting him into the sky. "You fight viciously, Nobunaga. But as always, a raging fire becomes dying embers!"

Yoshimitsu assumed his famously known stance which he named, the Sword Pogo. He came flying back down to the ground like a large needle. He came right at Nobunaga's dark heart.

Nobunaga, however, had a trick up his sleeve. Just as Yoshimitsu was about to pierce his heart, Nobunaga disappeared in a puff of black smoke, leaving Yoshimitsu to pierce his katana into the ground.

As quick as lightning, Nobunaga reappeared beside the ninja. Yoshimitsu couldn't react quickly enough. By the time he noticed it, Nobunaga had placed a hand on his chest. His hand began to glow black and dark smoke flowed from his palm.

Nobunaga smiled maniacally, showing his stained yellow fangs, "Absolute Death!"

Yoshimitsu felt his heart go numb, and he felt something trying to exit his body.

Nobunaga thrust Yoshimitsu away with his arm, throwing him across the ground.

Yoshimitsu clutched his chest, trying to ease the pain in his heart and subside the force that tried to exit him. He felt his heart stopping slowly.

Nobunaga approached the ninja, holding his sword like an executioner would hold his blade, "Do you see? If you were any normal human, that technique of mine would have ripped away your soul from your body. But you are not. You are a demon." He raised his katana, ready to strike the final blow.

With his last reserve of strength, Yoshimitsu got to his knees and tried to block the attack.

"Ayaaaah!" Yoshimitsu screamed as his right arm was sliced clean off. He jumped onto his feet and desperately made an attempt to fend off the bloodthirsty lord. He quickly leapt backwards and retreated. He began spinning. Then he started to spin faster and faster, splashing blood from his armless shoulder onto Nobunaga's face. In an instant, he disappeared with a bright flash of light.

Nobunaga left the splattered blood on his face. He liked the warm feeling of the blood. He caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye children peering out through their window at him. He licked his fangs.

"Iga is mine…"


	3. Fall of Iga, Rise of Heroes

**Author's notes: I really appreciate Ace Sorou and Anne Ominous for reviewing the last two chapters. It's been a long time since I worked on this. I hope this story does as good as my other one!**

**Chapter 2**

Onimaru lay back against a tree while he rested his eyes. Night had set in. He opened his eyes and looked up into the plentiful stars. There were so many, just twinkling in the heavens. It looked as if they were watching him and talking amongst each other. But he saw something else in the sky. A dark, wispy shape. Smoke? And then he smelled it too. It was smoke!

"That's coming from Iga! No!"

Onimaru picked up his blade, the Tiger Fang, a red katana with a jagged edge, like a row of teeth, and quickly stormed away from the tree he had rested so peacefully on.

Rows of dark trees passed swiftly by as Onimaru leapt and bound through the forest that lay just on the edge of the outskirts of Iga, a small village in which the townsfolk were very tightly knitted. They all shared a strong sense of courage and heart. Yet if anything were to happen to Iga, to anyone in Iga, the folk of the little village would surely be torn and devastated, and Onimaru never wanted that to happen to the village that he grew up in.

Onimaru neared closer and closer to the edge of the forest, and surely he could see the birght orange glow of flames and the cloak of smoke rising from the flames to suffocate the clear night sky. Onimaru's eyes widened in terror and began to shake in anger as he laid his eyes on the burning homes of Iga.

"No! No! No! Please, be okay!"

He left the sheltering of trees and walked into the clearing. But as he did, he felt a presence approaching quick from both his sides. He stopped and drew his blade, assumed his stance, and watched warily for the stalkers.

From both sides a pair of soldiers dressed in samurai armor appeared. No, not soldiers. Onimaru could hardly make out their facial features in the pale light of the moon, but as they neared him he was aghast to see that they were walking corpses.

"The undead? What kind of devilry is this!"

The walking dead began to snicker and frighteningly, grins began to cross their decaying expressions.

"Listen to that, men! He thinks we are the undead! Let's correct him! We are Genma!" All four soldiers charged him.

The first one that reached Onimaru received a fist jammed in his mouth, and as Onimaru pulled out his hand he pulled off his lower jaw. All he heard from that soldier was a yelp of surprise.

The next soldier in Onimaru's line of sight was felled quickly as the first soldier was on the ground searching for his jaw. But as Onimaru finished off the second soldier with a quick slash, the last two came from behind, looking for a free kill. Onimaru looked behind and just as he did a giant flying bug of some sort flew and pierced one of them through the head. That soldier fell to the ground with a slack jaw and crumbled into dust.

"Wait, that's no insect!"

Indeed it was not. It was a long ceremonial staff with a sharp, winding end. The top was a three-pronged structure with the tips converging to meet, and between the three prongs was a structure of small ceremonial beads.

"I know that staff!"

"Who is it!!!" The last soldier furiously hissed as he stopped and looked toward the direction from which the staff had flown in from.

A shadowy figure emerged from the dark forest like a shadow that decided to separate itself from the bigger whole of darkness that was the forest's shadow. It became an old man bearing a white beard, wearing green attire and large ceremonial beads around his neck. On his head was sparse hair, save for a lock of white hair at the very top. Despite the situation, Onimaru had to give a little snicker, after all, it was his custom to do so whenever he'd greet this specific man.

"Master Momochi!"

"Momochi?" The soldier questioned.

Onimaru smiled and laughed mockingly at the undead soldier, "So you've never heard of Sandayu Momochi? This should be entertaining!"

"Shut your trap!" The soldier rushed Sandayu.

Sandayu, however, kept his calm composure. He lifted his hand into a sort of prayer position and whispered a few incantations. The beads around his wrist briefly glimmered before the soldier reached him.

"Wind palm!" Sandayu met the soldier's charge with a thrust of his palm into his enemy's chest. The force of the palm thrust blew away the soldier and turned him into nothing but dust in the wind.

"I told you."

"Why are you so happy?"

Onimaru turned to greet the voice behind him, "Found your jaw, eh? I don't like that. I don't like your voice."

Onimaru drove his Tiger Fang through the soldier, then followed by cutting through the soldier's body up to his head. As Tiger Fang cut through the last bit of rotting bone on the top of the soldier's skull, the undead soldier crumbled apart into dust, leaving only his armor and weapons behind, just like his comrades had.

Onimaru knew he had to see to the aid of Iga, but he was curious if his master knew anything of the current situation, "Master, what is happening? What were those soldiers?"

Sandayu calmly picked up his staff from the ground, but behind his façade of calmness was urgency and fear, as seen through his eyes.

"Onimaru, you got sloppy. Never let your opponent get in behind you." Sandayu hit Onimaru on the top of his head with his staff, the only way to literally beat some sense into the young samurai's head.

Onimaru felt a strange feeling in his bones. Demons had not plagued their world for centuries now, why would they return? But the soldiers did not call themselves demons. _What did they call themselves again? Ge…Gon…_

"Goblins!" He shouted out.

Sandayu looked at Onimaru curiously. "Goblins? What goblins, Onimaru?"

Onimaru began gesturing with his hands excitedly, using his hands to describe a goblin, "They have long ears, and long noses, and…green skin! That's what those soldiers said they were! Goblins! But they didn't look like goblins…"

Sandayu could only groan in exasperation, "Onimaru, I doubt those monsters told you that. They are Genma, Onimaru."

"Genma?! What are Genma?"

Sandayu shook his head and pointed towards Iga, "Now's not the time. Come." Sandayu took off towards the burning village, his old age not hindering his speed, after all, he was the ninja chief of Iga. Onimaru followed close behind.

"Onimaru, just remember the advice I gave you as we head for Iga."

The village was lit in flames and left in tatters. Homes were torn apart, crops were burning, and scores of dead men lay on the roads with wounds to their backs or horrible teeth wounds to their necks.

"What on earth could have done this?" Onimaru scanned the scenery, the flames lighting his red eyes. The dead with the wounds to their necks were lying in a puddle of blood. The whole scene looked as if they had been attacked by a wild animal.

Sandayu remained silent, but he was in deep thought.

Onimaru quickly got to searching for survivors. He raced from house to house, pulling up burning boards of wood and clearing out debris, hoping to hear any sounds of life.

"Hello! Is anyone here! Please! Answer me!" Onimaru desperately cried.

Amidst the crackling flames a faint moan could be heard. "…help me…"

"Hello!?" Onimaru straightened and stood still, listening intently for the direction of the voice.

"…please…"

Onimaru swiftly turned around. He witnessed a middle aged man stumble out of one of the few houses that had not been torched. He walked weakly, slouched over and swaying like a weeping willow in the wind. Soon he could no longer hold himself up, and he stumbled into a large ceramic vase, tipping it over. The man fell to the ground and fainted.

Onimaru's heart sank at the sight, but despite that he ran to the man's side and lifted him. He began slapping his cheeks, trying to wake him, "Come on! Wake up!"

Slowly, the man's eyes began to open into small slits.

Onimaru let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you. Please sir, tell me who did this," he asked in his kindest tone.

"…monsters…" The man's voice was barely a whisper, "…a large lizard man…and zombie…samurai…"

"Zombie samurai…" Onimaru had feared this, "…And a large lizard man?"

The man shut his eyes again and promptly fell into a slumber.

Onimaru could understand, and he carried him back into his home. It was nearly torn apart, but it was decent shelter. "Rest here, I'll find others to keep you company."

Onimaru made his way into the center of town, where all the markets and restaurants lined up beside each other like a wall made of wood. He hoped he would find survivors here.

Unfortunately, every building in this part of town was in flames, and if anyone had been inside one of the restaurants or markets would have burned to death by now.

The road here was littered with the dead. It seemed that here was where the villagers put up the strongest resistance against whatever had assaulted their village. Their bodies were armed with anything that could be used as weapons: knives, butcher knives, pestles, and even boards of wood.

Onimaru walked down the road in a state of shock. He had his eyes turned down at his feet. He stared blankly at the alternating steps he took. He didn't bother to look for survivors. By the look of things, no one survived here.

And then he heard sounds of fighting. He heard the clashing of metal and the cries of pain. They were coming from the around the corner only several meters away from where he stood. Onimaru quickly drew his katana and ran to join the fray.

As he turned the corner he caught sight of a Genma, one of the zombie samurai, being driven through by a spear. There were four dead Genma and three villagers. One was the sushi chef from the sushi restaurant just around the corner. He still held in one hand his cooking knife and in the other the spear he had just slain the Genma with. He was Bomaru.

Two of the dead Genma had arrows piercing their faces and chests, no doubt the work of Hanpeita, the village oddball who had a stomach like a bottomless pit and a mind just as empty. He wore a purple head band around his head, being a student of the local dojo.

The last was Hikoichi. He too was a budding samurai. Onimaru had trained with him once before. A Genma lay dead at his feet. Hikoichi himself was near breathless, but there was no way that the Genma's old sword could stand up to a finely forged katana.

"Incredible!" Onimaru exclaimed.

The three villagers looked towards his direction quickly and angrily, and as they did the four bodies of the dead zombie samurai crumbled into dust. Their looks were threatening, but when they saw that it was Onimaru, their eyes softened and they let out a relieved breath.

"Onimaru, when did you get here?" Bomaru and the others approached Onimaru.

"I'm so sorry guys. If only I knew earlier. I would've come in time to help…" Onimaru clenched his teeth and fists in regret, and he shut his eyes, too ashamed to look at the others.

"Don't worry. This was totally unexpected. We were totally unprepared as well." Hikoichi answered in a sort of way that said, 'We all screwed up'.

Hanpeita slowly looked back and forth, "I can hear something, guys."

Bomaru's eyes widened, "Where? In which direction?"

Hanpieta walked around the corner and pointed up the road, "That way, and there's a lot of them."

Onimaru followed Hanpeita, "Good work, Hanpeita! You got some good ears on you!" Onimaru raced off, hoping to redeem himself in the eyes of Iga's villagers by slaying the cursed Genma who had destroyed their village.

Bomaru patted him on the shoulder, "Of course he does! Look at his ears!" Indeed Hanpeita had big ears, "Hey, Hanpeita, if we survive this, I'll make you a whole platter of sushi rolls! How about that?"

Hanpeita smiled goofily, "Good, I was getting hungry!"

And with that, Bomaru, Hikoichi, and Hanpeita ran off after Onimaru, all the while shouting out, "We are from Iga! We will fight to the death! For the pride and prosperity of Iga!"


End file.
